The instant invention relates to counting devices which enable persons to accurately count prayers, such as while saying the Rosary, and more particularly to a counting device embodied in a ring structure which can be inconspicuously worn on the hand, and on which there are a number of beads which are manually movable around the circumference of the ring for counting.
Many people of the Catholic faith make a daily habit of saying a set of prayers known as the "Rosary". The Rosary consists of a set of prayers which are repeated in a set fashion. Typically, the Rosary is said with the aid of a set of beads known as Rosary beads, consisting of different sets of beads affixed to a string. The Rosary bead strings are usually held in the persons hand, and prayers are counted by passing the persons fingers along the set of beads counting the beads as the prayers are said. A complete course around the set of beads completes the set of prayers. With an ever more busy world, people of the Catholic faith cannot find quiet personal time to pray, and often turn to saying the Rosary in public places, such as while they commute to work on a bus, train, plane etc. In this regard, a set of Rosary beads is quite noticeable to those around, and more often than not, these people do not want to draw undesired attention from onlookers. Accordingly, the use of alternative counting devices to say the Rosary has become popular. In this regard, a variety of different counting devices, including modified rings, bracelets, hand held clickers, watch wrist bands, etc have been developed to allow such persons to quietly and inconspicuously say the Rosary without drawing unwanted attention.
The instant invention provides a finger ring counting device that enables persons to accurately count prayers while saying the decades of the Rosary. The counting device is embodied in a ring structure which can be inconspicuously worn on the hand, and on which there are a number of beads which are manually movable around the circumference of the ring for counting. The device includes a finger ring having a continuous outwardly facing surface and a continuous circumferential channel formed in the outwardly facing surface. Eleven spherical beads are slidably captured within the channel where they are slidably movable around the outside of the ring. One of the beads includes an indicia indicating that bead as a starting bead for the repeating decades of the Rosary. The counting device further includes a gate structure including a body portion having a bottom wall which straddles the channel and a top wall constructed and arranged for receiving an ornamental insert therein. The bottom wall cooperates with the channel to form a passage through which the beads slidably pass. The gate structure further includes a resilient spring arm mounted on the bottom wall of the body portion that extends downwardly from the bottom wall into the channel to selectively restrict passage of the beads from an entrance side of the gate structure to an exit side. In use, the operator manually urges one bead at a time from the entrance side past the resilient spring arm to the exit side. Movement of a bead from the entrance side to the exit side represents a count of one. When the wearer completes a decade of ten prayers, the starting bead is returned to the starting position to begin another decade.
Accordingly, among the objects of the instant invention are: the provision of a counting device for counting prayers while saying the Rosary; the provision of a modified ring device including a plurality of beads which are manually movable in a channel around the circumference of the ring; the provision of such a modified ring further including a resilient gate device under which the beads are passed for counting; and the provision of such a modified ring which can be inconspicuously operated by user without drawing unwanted attention.
Other objects, features and advantages of the invention shall become apparent as the description thereof proceeds when considered in connection with the accompanying illustrative drawings.